Sand Tiger Sharks

The Sand Tiger shark is yet another species with an undeserved bad reputation. This shark has a ferocious appearance, but is generally considered to be harmless to experienced divers.

The sand tiger has a mouth full of sharp pointed teeth, but these are the kind of teeth typical of a predator that lives on a diet of fish and other small prey.  When the sand tiger shark is implicated in attacks against swimmers, it usually occurs in the surf zone where the water is murky and the visibility is reduced to zero.   In these kinds of situations the shark typically sees the flash of a hand or a foot and takes a bite thinking it has found a small fish.   It releases as soon as it realizes its mistake.

Diet

As opposed to a hand or a foot, what sand tigers really prefer is small fish, small sharks, rays, and crustaceans they find along the sandy bottom and around reefs and shipwrecks. As an adult a sand tiger will typically reach a size of 6 to 9 feet, with some individuals reaching about 10 feet in length.

Reproduction and Sibling Rivalry

Sand Tiger sharks bear 2 live pups at a time, after a gestation period of approximately 10 to 12 months. Inside the mother shark, two separate uterine chambers each contain multiple eggs.  Inside of each of these chambers it is a race against time, as the first egg to hatch then devours the other eggs, in a sibling rivalry featuring survival of the fittest!

Diving with Sand Tiger Sharks

Sand tigers can be encountered as isolated individuals and in pairs or small numbers around shipwrecks and reefs all over the world.  These encounters are usually unpredictable, chance encounters, as sand tigers have a wide range, often found in sandy coastal waters all over the world, shallow bays, estuaries and especially tropical reefs (Although most often found in shallow waters, sand tiger sharks will swim down to depths of 250 meters.) During their mating seasons in the spring and fall, sand tigers will sometimes congregate in large numbers on shipwrecks and reefs ranging in depth from 50 to 150 feet deep. Since they often return to the same locations year after year for these congregations, it is during these moments that their location and numbers can be fairly predicable, and make for wonderful opportunities for diving with these sharks in large numbers.

Sand tigers in Aquariums

Many of the popular aquariums of the world feature sand tiger sharks in their walk-thru ocean displays. The species is particularly adaptable to aquarium life, and some specimens have been known to live in captivity for more than 10 years. Their adaptability, as well as their ferocious appearance, make them a top attraction in many of the world's largest ocean displays. 

Many sharks have a global habitat
range and predictable migration patterns. These patterns are vital in
predicting the locations and times
for the best viewing and shark diving opportunities. 
Explore the links below for basic facts and information about the species most commonly encountered
by shark diving enthusiasts.

Great White Sharks

It is possible that no other living creature on the earth has been
the subject of as much undeserved
fear and hysteria as the Great White Shark.   Growing massive in size,
(the great white is a solitary predator that can reach 20 feet or longer), the natural food source of
a great white consists primarily of harbour seals, northern elephant seals, sea lions, as well as dolphin, porpoise, and even the carcasses
of dead whales.  
Click here for more
on Great Whites.

Hammerhead Sharks

There are several different types of sharks referred to as hammerheads, for example, there is the Winghead Shark, the Scalloped Hammerhead, the Great Hammerhead, and the Smooth Hammerhead, ranging in size from 5 feet up to 15 feet long, with rare appearances of individuals (in the case of the Great Hammerhead) of up to 20 feet long! 
Click here for more
on Hammerheads.

Galapagos Sharks

Few sharks can rival the beauty and classic shark "form" of the Galapagos Shark.  Getting it's name from it's original discovery in waters off of
the Galapagos Islands, this shark
can grow up to 10 feet long, and
has a dark gray top with off-white belly.  Although they have been implicated in attacks on swimmers, like many sharks, these sharks are not normally dangerous to humans. 
Click here for more
on Galapagos sharks.

Reef Sharks

There are several sharks shark
divers are likely to encounter that
go by the name "reef sharks," such as the Blacktip Reef Shark,
Caribbean Reef Shark, Grey Reef Shark, Silvertip Reef Shark, & Whitetip Reef Shark- just to name
a few! 
Click here for more
on reef sharks.

Whale Sharks

The whale shark is the largest known fish in the sea, reaching a massive size in excess of 40 feet in length!  It can weigh as much as ten tons!  Since they frequently feed in relatively shallow waters around reefs, free diving or scuba diving with this fish is possible. 
The incredible size of this animal  makes a dive with a whale shark unforgettable!  
Click here for more
on Whale sharks.

This is your year to meet "Mystery" at Isla Guadalupe
Book your adventure with us today!

Email us at staff@divingwithsharks.com or call us anytime
to book your Great White shark adventure at

619.565.0208